Things to Do in Amalfi, Plus Beaches, Ravello, and Where to Stay
Amalfi often gets treated as a quick stop on a longer coastal itinerary, an hour or two between Positano and Ravello. That undersells it, whether you’re passing through for the afternoon or staying the night. There are enough things to do in Amalfi, between the cathedral, the paper museum, and the beach clubs right in town, to fill a full day, and enough reason to stay longer than that.
Amalfi was once a maritime superpower. It was a republic that rivaled Venice and Pisa for control of Mediterranean trade in the early Middle Ages. Very little of that old empire survives above ground. But the 11th century cathedral towering over the main square still gives a real sense of the wealth that once passed through this harbor.
Amalfi: A Must-See Destination on the Amalfi Coast
Amalfi gives the whole coastline its name, and once you’re standing in Piazza Duomo looking up at the cliffs on either side, it’s obvious why it earned that honor. The town is wedged into a ravine so steep that most streets off the main square turn into staircases within a block or two, climbing past lemon trees and laundry lines toward houses that look stacked directly on top of one another. It’s a lot of town packed into very little flat ground, and that’s a large part of the appeal.
The local seafood and pasta are worth planning a meal around too. More on that further down.
Getting to Amalfi
Driving the Amalfi Coast has a certain reputation, and it’s earned. The SS163 is narrow and cliffside, packed with tour buses in high season. Even short trips can take far longer than the map suggests. Given all that, here’s how I’d actually get here.
If you’re staying in Amalfi and coming from Naples, take the train to Salerno, then a ferry straight into Amalfi’s harbor. A private driver can cover that same route if you’d rather skip the train, though I’d still pick the boat over the road for the last stretch given the choice.
If you’re day tripping in, which is what I’d actually recommend for most visitors, take the ferry from Sorrento, Positano, or wherever else you’re based. Arriving by ferry is, hands down, the better choice for a day trip too. The town appears slowly from the water, stacked up the cliffside, with none of the traffic or hairpin turns of the coastal road, and it’s faster than the bus in peak season.
Things to Do in Amalfi
It’s easy to see why this town shows up on so many Instagram feeds. Between the cathedral’s striped marble facade rising straight out of the piazza and the giant hollowed out lemons filled with sorbet sold along the main street, there’s no shortage of Instagram worthy moments here.
Amalfi Cathedral
Start at the Cathedral of Sant’Andrea, the building that dominates Piazza Duomo and the whole town skyline. The current facade dates to the 19th century. The bronze doors, though, were cast in Constantinople in the 11th century, among the oldest of their kind in Italy. Climb the wide staircase for the view back down over the square. Then step into the Cloister of Paradise next door. It’s a quiet 13th century arcade that feels a world away from the crowds outside.
Take a Cooking Class
A working farmhouse just outside town runs a half day cooking workshop that’s genuinely worth the short trip out. The class starts with a walk through the terraced gardens to pick ingredients, then moves into hands on instruction making bruschetta, fresh pasta, and a lemon tiramisu. Groups are capped at ten people, so it stays personal rather than feeling like a tourist assembly line. Afterward, you sit down to a full multi course lunch built from what you just made, paired with local wine and limoncello. You walk away with the recipes and a cooking diploma to take home.
Museo della Carta
Amalfi has been making paper by hand since the Middle Ages. The Museo della Carta, housed in a 13th century paper mill, is where that history is still working. The original water powered machines are restored and functional. The guided tour walks you through the whole process before you reach the gift shop. The handmade paper itself is worth buying.
Amalfi Beaches
The main beach, Spiaggia Grande, is right in front of the town and gets crowded fast in summer. It’s also where you’ll find some of Amalfi’s best beach clubs. Restaurant Marina Grande, on the beachfront, pairs a Michelin selected kitchen with a small private beach setup. The seafood pasta here earns its price. A little further out, Marinella Beach Club at Borgo Santandrea (my luxury hotel pick) offers sunbeds and umbrellas. There’s also a private pier with boat connections to Positano, Capri, Paestum, and Ischia.
Take the Coast Road to Ravello
The drive up from Amalfi to Ravello is steep, narrow, and genuinely thrilling. Locals have their own nickname for it that says everything you need to know. Once you’re up there, don’t miss Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone, both with gardens that hang directly over the coastline. The Terrace of Infinity at Cimbrone, in particular, is one of the best views on the entire Amalfi Coast. Then head straight for gelato. Baffone Gelateria Artigianale, tucked just off Ravello’s main piazza, is regularly called the best gelato in Italy. After tasting it, it’s hard to argue.
Visit Other Amalfi Coast Towns
Positano is the obvious next stop, a short ferry ride away and instantly recognizable from a thousand postcards. Its own steep streets and pastel houses climb straight up from the water. Further along the coast, Vietri sul Mare my favorite town on the coast, deserves a stop for its ceramics, made and sold right where they’re produced. Prices here often beat the shops closer to Amalfi and Positano.
My favorite boat adventure is the Small Group Amalfi Coast Boat Day Tour from Amalfi.
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Dining in Amalfi
Seafood and lemons define the menu here more than anywhere else on the coast. Scialatielli ai frutti di mare, a thick hand cut pasta loaded with clams, mussels, shrimp, and squid, is the dish to order, and colatura di alici, a salty anchovy sauce with roots going back to ancient Roman garum, shows up worked into pastas and dressings all over town.
My Dining Recommendation
La Piazzetta sits in a small square just off the main tourist drag, Piazza dei Dogi, which keeps it a step removed from the crowds around the Duomo. Order the scialatielli ai frutti di mare here, it’s the dish the restaurant is known for, and the outdoor tables in that quiet little piazza make for an easy, unhurried lunch.
Basing Yourself in Sorrento
This is actually what I do myself. Rather than staying directly on the Amalfi Coast, I base in Sorrento and use the ferry to reach Amalfi, Positano, and Capri from there. Sorrento sits just north of the coast on the Bay of Naples, and it offers a wider range of hotels and restaurants at every price point than most Amalfi Coast towns can.
I’ve written separately about staying at Ara Maris, a luxury pick that makes a strong home base for exactly this kind of itinerary. On the more moderate end, Hotel Continental is right off Piazza della Vittoria, close to Piazza Tasso, with a private elevator down to its own beach so you’re not stuck hauling gear down the cliff.
Where to Stay in Amalfi
Amalfi has a reputation for luxury prices, but there’s a genuinely good option here for the moderate spender too. Here are my picks at both ends of that range.
LUXURY: BORGO SANTANDREA
Borgo Santandrea is just outside Amalfi in Conca dei Marini, perched 90 meters above the water. Its 29 rooms and 16 suites are each individually designed with handmade tiles and local stone. It has the only real sand beach on this stretch of coast, reached by a private path down the cliff. A saltwater pool and Alici, the property’s own Michelin starred restaurant led by Chef Crescenzo Scotti, round out the property. It opened in 2021 and already books out well in advance. Plan early if this is the splurge you’re after.
MODERATE: HOTEL ANTICA REPUBBLICA
Hotel Antica Repubblica occupies a 10th century building in the historic center, just steps from Piazza Duomo, with seven individually frescoed rooms named after figures from Amalfi’s maritime history. It’s small and genuinely old, reached by a run of steps up from the main street, with a rooftop breakfast terrace and its own stretch of black sand beach nearby. It’s a real, family run hotel rather than a chain, at a fraction of what the clifftop properties charge.
Amalfi Advice
Skip the car if you can. Between the traffic, the narrow roads, and the limited parking, driving the Amalfi Coast adds stress. The ferry simply removes it. Book ferry tickets a day or two ahead in peak season. The fast boats between towns fill up quickly in July and August.
Amalfi’s streets are a mix of steps and steep inclines, so real shoes matter here. Between the cathedral stairs and the climb to Ravello, flip flops won’t hold up for long.
About the Author
Benvenuti! I’m Kim, an Italian travel expert, Italy resident, a Certified Italy Destination Specialist from the Travel Institute (USA) and a Certified Italy Travel Specialist recognized by the National Italian Tourist Board. I bring over three decades of professional travel industry experience to your Italian adventure.
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